Vision for Spring 2005
Friends,
Thank you, Alex, for your recent conversation starter as well as your energy and motivation to continue to grow the PrESS Network, attempting to expand its reach beyond the borders of our meeting spaces to local/state/national/global communities. Interesting to think that it was just about one year ago that I would meet many of you from the spring, 2004 Mod II, which would eventually launch what has come to be known as the Progressives Engaged in Struggle Support Network. Thanks to your courage and drive, we now number more than thirty-five, with many more eager to learn about and join our struggle. I’m encouraged by the steady path we have traveled to come to this moment—sharing with one another, strengthening one another, learning from one another—poised, now, to act in the broader community.
Yesterday, Gina and I had a chance to share the evening with a number of folks—first, an appreciation/holiday dinner with a family she works with and, next, a solstice party with some friends from Bellarmine. As we ushered in the longest night of the year and prepared for the impending snow, it was clear (from our discussions at dinner and at the party) the impact we have on our world as social servants and the strength we are able to draw from others who share in our struggle. As always, the world needs social servants, critical and radical; prepared to lead, prepared to struggle, prepared to serve. We now confidently and consciously, alongside many others (historical and present), assume this role.
This morning, as I sit in the quiet of Lenihan and watch the snow fall outside my window, sobered by the dark night of solstice, I know that the days now will become longer and longer, little by little—and that much work lies ahead. Measuring my thoughts this morning, I break from writing to read the two small posters from the Rouge Forum, hanging just beyond my computer screen—The System: The Pyramid of Capitalism and The Chains of Iniquity. My (re)reading and (re)interpretation of these posters are reinforced by new historical knowledge I am gleaning from reading Howard Zinn’s, A Peoples History of the US, 1492-Present. I know that these injustices we struggle against are a historical construction. As the coming-to-conscious Network we believe ourselves to be, it is critical that we work to deconstruct/break these Chains and to continue to deconstruct/reveal the System. We, as social servants, can join with others at the ground level of this change. We have both the access (as teachers, social workers, graduate students, professors, etc.) and the agency (knowledge, self-confidence, self-actualization) to make this change.
In the course of less than one year, we’ve come together formally a dozen or so times, took part in reading two pivotal and foundational pieces for critical and engaged progressives, Teaching to Transgress and Pedagogy of the Oppressed, spoke at an international social foundations conference, and, perhaps most importantly, strengthened one another with powerful stories of the work we do in our classrooms and communities.
Now, looking ahead to 2005, I’m sure we can look forward to much of the same and more.
For the spring semester, I’d like to propose the following meeting dates:
Thursday, January 20 (7-9 in Lenihan)
Thursday, February 10 (7-9 in Lenihan)
Sunday, February 27 (7-9, place TBA)
Thursday, March 17 (7-9 in Lenihan)
Thursday, April 14 (7-9 in Lenihan)
Sunday, May 1 (7-9, place TBA)
Like previous meetings, the foundation and bulk of our meetings will be spent sharing stories and encouraging one another in the progressive work we do in our classrooms and communities. In terms of reading, rather then proposing another book, I’d like to suggest (upon the advice of a couple of PrESS Network members) that we focus on an article per meeting. These articles can come from a variety of sources and can focus on a variety of issues. This way, no one will feel like they’ve gotten behind in the reading and it will also provide you much more input into what we read. Thus, I would encourage you to please send me articles (web-based) that you think would be appropriate reading for the group. I will compile these and about a week prior to our meetings, along with the announcement/reminder for the meeting, will send out one of them for us to discuss.
Beyond these meetings, though, I know that there is at least a core of individuals that Alex referred to in his email that really want to begin an action phase for the PrESS Network in the spring.
Here is a list of the items we’ve discussed for the short and long term:
Short
Become an official organization through obtaining non-profit status (or LLC, as Bob suggests)
Develop a website and, perhaps, a regular e-newsletter
Engage in some type of service activity (I think Rachel’s suggestion of tutoring is a very good one. Recently, I’ve struck up a relationship with the Urban League, who is looking for tutors on Tuesdays and Thursdays for one hour any time between 3-6)
Attend and present at conferences. Possibilities include
Attending the Choices and Changes conference that Gina has sent information on at the Galt House, March 29-31
Prepare a proposal and present on our work at Imaginative Education Research Group in Vancouver, July 13-16 (Proposals due 2/4/05)
Prepare a proposal and present on our work at the Rouge Forum in Syracuse, sometime in July (proposals probably due by 3/1/05)
Prepare a proposal and present on our work at the American Educational Studies Association in Charlottesville in November (proposals normally due by mid April)
Encourage other progressives to come to our meetings
Long
Take on some type of research study regarding the education/socialization of children today
Develop a FairTest (http://www.fairtest.org/) affiliate for Kentucky
Put on PD workshops in local schools regarding progressive pedagogy
Create opportunities to work with parents and other progressive community members
Try to take jobs in schools with other PrESS Network members
Investigate the possibility of creating a charter school or taking over a failing public school
What we need are probably some members of the group who want to commit to heading up or sharing the responsibility for one of the short term goals (i.e., achieving non-profit status, launching web-site, creating e-newsletter, coordinating service activity, coordinating scholarship, etc.). Obviously, the amount of time we can give to the Network will vary from member to member based on, among many other things, our schedule for the spring and other important commitments that constantly tug at us. So, if you think you might have some time and would be interested in teaming up with others on one of the short term goals, please let me know and I’ll try to choreograph the initial activity for these groups as we get started for the spring.
I think our short term list provides us with useful benchmarks for the spring in determining our ongoing growth. Our long term list will receive more clarity as we achieve these shorter term benchmarks and flesh out the possibilities in our six spring meetings.
I look forward to seeing all of you soon. I hope that this holiday provides you with the rest and reinvigoration you need for the start of a new year. Come back to us safe.
Peace. adam
Thank you, Alex, for your recent conversation starter as well as your energy and motivation to continue to grow the PrESS Network, attempting to expand its reach beyond the borders of our meeting spaces to local/state/national/global communities. Interesting to think that it was just about one year ago that I would meet many of you from the spring, 2004 Mod II, which would eventually launch what has come to be known as the Progressives Engaged in Struggle Support Network. Thanks to your courage and drive, we now number more than thirty-five, with many more eager to learn about and join our struggle. I’m encouraged by the steady path we have traveled to come to this moment—sharing with one another, strengthening one another, learning from one another—poised, now, to act in the broader community.
Yesterday, Gina and I had a chance to share the evening with a number of folks—first, an appreciation/holiday dinner with a family she works with and, next, a solstice party with some friends from Bellarmine. As we ushered in the longest night of the year and prepared for the impending snow, it was clear (from our discussions at dinner and at the party) the impact we have on our world as social servants and the strength we are able to draw from others who share in our struggle. As always, the world needs social servants, critical and radical; prepared to lead, prepared to struggle, prepared to serve. We now confidently and consciously, alongside many others (historical and present), assume this role.
This morning, as I sit in the quiet of Lenihan and watch the snow fall outside my window, sobered by the dark night of solstice, I know that the days now will become longer and longer, little by little—and that much work lies ahead. Measuring my thoughts this morning, I break from writing to read the two small posters from the Rouge Forum, hanging just beyond my computer screen—The System: The Pyramid of Capitalism and The Chains of Iniquity. My (re)reading and (re)interpretation of these posters are reinforced by new historical knowledge I am gleaning from reading Howard Zinn’s, A Peoples History of the US, 1492-Present. I know that these injustices we struggle against are a historical construction. As the coming-to-conscious Network we believe ourselves to be, it is critical that we work to deconstruct/break these Chains and to continue to deconstruct/reveal the System. We, as social servants, can join with others at the ground level of this change. We have both the access (as teachers, social workers, graduate students, professors, etc.) and the agency (knowledge, self-confidence, self-actualization) to make this change.
In the course of less than one year, we’ve come together formally a dozen or so times, took part in reading two pivotal and foundational pieces for critical and engaged progressives, Teaching to Transgress and Pedagogy of the Oppressed, spoke at an international social foundations conference, and, perhaps most importantly, strengthened one another with powerful stories of the work we do in our classrooms and communities.
Now, looking ahead to 2005, I’m sure we can look forward to much of the same and more.
For the spring semester, I’d like to propose the following meeting dates:
Thursday, January 20 (7-9 in Lenihan)
Thursday, February 10 (7-9 in Lenihan)
Sunday, February 27 (7-9, place TBA)
Thursday, March 17 (7-9 in Lenihan)
Thursday, April 14 (7-9 in Lenihan)
Sunday, May 1 (7-9, place TBA)
Like previous meetings, the foundation and bulk of our meetings will be spent sharing stories and encouraging one another in the progressive work we do in our classrooms and communities. In terms of reading, rather then proposing another book, I’d like to suggest (upon the advice of a couple of PrESS Network members) that we focus on an article per meeting. These articles can come from a variety of sources and can focus on a variety of issues. This way, no one will feel like they’ve gotten behind in the reading and it will also provide you much more input into what we read. Thus, I would encourage you to please send me articles (web-based) that you think would be appropriate reading for the group. I will compile these and about a week prior to our meetings, along with the announcement/reminder for the meeting, will send out one of them for us to discuss.
Beyond these meetings, though, I know that there is at least a core of individuals that Alex referred to in his email that really want to begin an action phase for the PrESS Network in the spring.
Here is a list of the items we’ve discussed for the short and long term:
Short
Become an official organization through obtaining non-profit status (or LLC, as Bob suggests)
Develop a website and, perhaps, a regular e-newsletter
Engage in some type of service activity (I think Rachel’s suggestion of tutoring is a very good one. Recently, I’ve struck up a relationship with the Urban League, who is looking for tutors on Tuesdays and Thursdays for one hour any time between 3-6)
Attend and present at conferences. Possibilities include
Attending the Choices and Changes conference that Gina has sent information on at the Galt House, March 29-31
Prepare a proposal and present on our work at Imaginative Education Research Group in Vancouver, July 13-16 (Proposals due 2/4/05)
Prepare a proposal and present on our work at the Rouge Forum in Syracuse, sometime in July (proposals probably due by 3/1/05)
Prepare a proposal and present on our work at the American Educational Studies Association in Charlottesville in November (proposals normally due by mid April)
Encourage other progressives to come to our meetings
Long
Take on some type of research study regarding the education/socialization of children today
Develop a FairTest (http://www.fairtest.org/) affiliate for Kentucky
Put on PD workshops in local schools regarding progressive pedagogy
Create opportunities to work with parents and other progressive community members
Try to take jobs in schools with other PrESS Network members
Investigate the possibility of creating a charter school or taking over a failing public school
What we need are probably some members of the group who want to commit to heading up or sharing the responsibility for one of the short term goals (i.e., achieving non-profit status, launching web-site, creating e-newsletter, coordinating service activity, coordinating scholarship, etc.). Obviously, the amount of time we can give to the Network will vary from member to member based on, among many other things, our schedule for the spring and other important commitments that constantly tug at us. So, if you think you might have some time and would be interested in teaming up with others on one of the short term goals, please let me know and I’ll try to choreograph the initial activity for these groups as we get started for the spring.
I think our short term list provides us with useful benchmarks for the spring in determining our ongoing growth. Our long term list will receive more clarity as we achieve these shorter term benchmarks and flesh out the possibilities in our six spring meetings.
I look forward to seeing all of you soon. I hope that this holiday provides you with the rest and reinvigoration you need for the start of a new year. Come back to us safe.
Peace. adam
posted by Jon at 1:27 PM
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